It's been a while since I posted details of a make ... partly because time has been limited for making cheese, so I haven't made nearly enough lately! But here are a few pictures from a Gorgonzola Picante make that I began back on 12/9/15 -- not really a complete record, but perhaps enough to convey the general idea.
This make, more or less following a recipe from New England Cheesemaking Supply (cheesemaking.com), is made in two batches of curds, nearly identical, one made in the evening and the other made the following morning.
Evening curds:3 gallons whole milk (store bought P&H, unfortunately)
1 pt light cream (store bought and UP, even more unfortunately)
1/8+ tsp MA011
1/8+ tsp Flora Danica
1/32 tsp TA061
1/16 tsp PR (PS strain) mixed into 1/2 cup warm milk for 30 minutes or so before use to rehydrate
3/16 tsp CaCl crystals dissolved in 1/4 cup water (equivalent to approximately 5/8 tsp liquid CaCl)
3/8 tsp liquid rennet mixed with 1/4 cup water
Add CaCl to milk, bring to 90°F, add cultures, ripen for 30 minutes
- First picture below shows milk ready to add cultures; note small cup with the PR rehydrating to the side
- Second picture shows the milk with cultures added, including the PR
Add rennet, stir, and let set for 60 minutes
Cut into 3/4" cubes; rest 5-10 minutes
Stir gently for 50 minutes; rest 5-10 minutes
Drain into cheesecloth-lined colander
- Third picture below shows how badly the curd shattered as soon as I started stirring; as a result, I only stirred enough to keep from matting
- Fourth picture shows the curd draining in the colander; again, the shattering of the curd is painfully evident
Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and hang the curd in the cheesecloth to continue draining and acidifying overnight
- Fifth picture below shows how I do this
In the morning, cut the curd mass into ~1" cubes and set aside.
Morning curds:The morning curds are made identically to the evening curds EXCEPT no PR is added, and they are drained in the hanging cheesecloth for only an hour or so. After draining, the morning curds are also cut into ~1" cubes.
Assembly, pressing, salting:The cheese was assembled in an 8" diameter mold. The more moist morning curd lines the bottom, sides, and top, and the drier evening curd is used to form the core of the cheese. I use approximately 1/4 of the morning curd for the bottom, 1/2 for the sides, and 1/4 for the top.
The assembled cheese is lightly pressed; I started with 4 lbs, then went to 8 lbs., flipping every 30 minutes, for 2-3 hours. I then let the cheese sit in the mold overnight.
- Sixth picture below shows the cheese the next morning -- I don't know if it is supposed to come out with a closed rind, but the two times I've made this, mine has come out with crevices and crannies as shown.
After the cheese comes out of the mold, begin salting.
- The recipe calls for 4% salt, but when I made this the first time I felt that was a bit too much, so this time I used 3.5%; I neglected to write down the exact amount, but the procedure is simple: weigh the cheese, calculate 3.5%, and then weigh out that much salt.
- Salt is added over three days, 50% the first day, 30% the second day, and 20% the last day.
- Each day, add half of that day's salt to one side in the morning; flip and add the other half of that day's salt in the evening (ideally, after 12 hours).
- I did the salting at room temperature, with the cheese uncovered; I felt that this, on top of the shattering of the curd, led to the cheese being a bit too dry, so next time I will probably do the salting while going ahead to transfer to a ripening box in the "cave."
Affinage:Move the cheese to a ripening box in the cheese "cave"; flip every day or two. Since this cheese was around 7 lbs. at this point, the only thing I had large enough to serve as a ripening box was an old cake carrier ... but that seemed to work quite well.
After a week or so, blue should be evident in the nooks and crannies. After 14 days, I pierced, straight up and down (top and bottom), and angled around the sides.
After 14 more days, I pierced again. By this point, the sides were well covered in blue, and the top and bottom had a fair bit of blue.
Today, 7=1/2 weeks after starting the make, the cheese weighs a bit more than 6.5 lbs. I cut the cheese into quarters, pleased to see good veining of blue. Flavor at this point is pretty good, with just the right salt level, but my experience with the last Gorgonzola is that it will be better by an order of magnitute after sealing and aging further. Texture was creamy-crumbly -- as noted above, I felt like this cheese came out on the dry side, but after cutting it I am thinking it might be just about perfect. Time will tell ... I vacuum-bagged each quarter, stopping the vacuum short of full draw, and put them back in the cave. In another 6-8 weeks, I'll pull one out to see if it is ready for use.
- Seventh picture below shows the cheese cut into quarters
- Eighth and last picture shows the cheese bagged for further aging
Nice post, Andy. Have a cheese for your efforts. Gorgonzola is on my list.
Thanks! My first Gorgonzola developed into a really nice cheese, albeit (as I mentioned above) a bit too salty. In about 6 weeks, we'll see if this one matches the first ...
This looks excellent. +C
Looking great Doc!! having done one of these yet but am anxious too try. AC4U!!